Doomed to Repeat
by PBBWriter
Summary: Sequel to Mea Culpa
1. Chapter 1

"Let's go!"

Roxy stood on the landing, obnoxiously clapping her hands, and hollered loudly up the steps.

"School and work, lets go!"

Hearing multiple sets of feet hit the floor above her, she smiled and headed back into the kitchen. Lunches were made, bags were packed and she was simply waiting till everyone else left so she could leave for work.

First was Coco, as usual, wearing only jeans and a sleeveless undershirt. He kissed her in passing, looking for a pair of socks from the laundry room.

"Is Mr. I Can Do My Own Laundry having a problem?"

Coco huffed, loud enough for Roxy to hear him, and stuck his head out the door. "Socks."

Smirking, Roxy got up and joined him in the search. She grabbed a dirty pair from beside the washer and tossed it in the utility sink.

"I'll hand wash em' and toss em' in the dryer," she said, turning the water on. "And I'll start doing your laundry again."

"That's the longest you went before giving in," Coco teased her.

"I'm petty," she shrugged. "I don't even remember the fight."

Coco shook his head. "I dunno but you were pissed about something."

Roxy took a moment to think but nothing came to mind. "Whatever it was don't do it again."

"Mom?"

"And it begins," she groaned. "Here I come."

Coco went back into the kitchen, Roxy following, to see Valentina standing angrily with her hand on her hips.

"That's your daughter," Roxy grumbled to him. "What's up?"

"Teo took my snapback," she huffed, "And he ruined the patch."

"Teo ruined the patch but I took it," Coco said sharply. "I told you, Teen, you can't wear that shit out. You're too little."

"I'm ten," she sneered.

"Yeah, ten is too young," Roxy snapped.

Coming down the steps, Thomas dropped his Dodgers hat onto her head and hurried into the kitchen.

"Branch out, kiddo," he advised her. "Listen to your big cousin, motorcycle clubs aren't as cool as you think they are."

"And they're not gonna patch in a girl," Mateo yelled from the top of the steps.

"It's too early for this shit," Roxy grumbled. "I have work and unlike your father I can't be late," she said to Valentina. "Deal with it, please," Roxy said to Coco. "I can't deal with the fucking bickering."

"I got it," he said quietly. "Love you, Rox."

"Yeah, you better, I'm handwashing your gross ass fucking socks."

While his socks dried, Coco waited on the front steps with his youngest daughter. At first they were quiet but Valentina soon spoke up.

"Why don't clubs patch girls?"

Coco closed his eyes and sighed. "It's complicated."

"Why's Mom keep telling Teo not to patch?"

"It's complicated."

"Dad," she groaned.

"Mom doesn't want you guys involved cause it's dangerous. She loves you and doesn't want you getting hurt," he said, leaving the darker details out.

"And the club? Why don't you have girls?"

"It's a club for guys," he said simply.

"That's not fair," she huffed. The bus tumbled down the street and Valentina stood up. "I'm gonna be the first girl Mayan."

Coco watched as she stormed off toward the curb, angry and determined, and left awful knowing she'd fail. He'd be sure of it, actually. If it was ever a possibility he'd shut it down but he knew it never would be and he was relieved to say the least.

—

11 Years Before/4 Years After Happy's Death*

"Fuck. Shit. Fuck." Roxy snapped, kicking the bathroom cabinet. "This is not fair. This is fucking unbelievable."

"Mommy?" Mateo knocked on the door. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah baby," she sniffled. "I'm okay."

"Don't sound okay," Coco said suddenly. "Let me in, Rox."

Defeated, Roxy opened the bathroom door and looked at Mateo and Coco. "Teo, go play while I talk to your dad."

Mateo looked at her, knowing something was up, but nodded and bolted away as quick as he could.

"What?" Coco looked at her, fear in his eyes.

"I'm pregnant," she groaned. "I took the goddamn Plan B but looks like I'm not part of the 89% effective rate."

"Fuck," he sneered. "Rox, you can't keep it."

"Don't," she snapped.

"You said you didn't want another baby either!"

"I don't," she said defensively. "I know how you feel about your family and it's not like I have the best goddamn history either but, it happened. Shit, look at our kids, look at Letti and Teo and how awesome they are."

"Pressing our goddamn luck," he snapped. "I don't want a baby, I don't want another fucking kid."

Roxy nodded, "Okay."

"Alright," he relaxed slightly. "Make an appointment and we'll take care of it."

"Oh, no," she shook her head. "I'm not sure what I'm doing yet."

Coco felt a huge wave of panic crash over him. "Wait. What?"

"I understand how you feel," she said calmly. "We tried to keep this shit from happening but it did and it's making me think."

"You think god wanted you to get knocked up?" He asked skeptically.

"That's not what I said," Roxy snapped. "I just mean," she paused, "I can't explain it. I'm not sure how I feel yet."

"I know how I feel," he huffed.

"And you can make whatever decision you think is right," she reminded him. "That garbage about your family line, it's not true. We can change that cycle. I'm not letting my fucked up family poison Mateo, I'm not letting them push the dysfunction onto me from the grave. Besides, this is our baby. Knowing you're the father, that we're adding to this weird family we've created is exciting." She felt a few tears roll down her cheek as he stared at her with the same damn expression. "I love you, Coco."

Coco shook his head and stomped off but her words already began seeping into his head.

—

Present*

"Hey, Antonia," Roxy said as she hurried into the Mayor's office. "Sorry I'm late again. I live in a mad house."

"How many people do you have living in that house, again?" Pena asked with a smirk.

Roxy counted quickly. "Six."

"Jesus Christ," Pena shook her head. "I honestly kind of love it. Your nephew still there?"

Roxy nodded as she settled herself at her desk. "He is. He'll be there for a year or two."

"Why?" She asked quietly. "I can't wrap my head around it."

"Yeah, it's weird," Roxy laughed. "Tommy's family. He's trying to be more than his father, that legacy hangs over him and his older brother doesn't help. He had to get out and he needs some support, I don't want him running back to the Sons."

"And how's Coco with that?" Pena asked suggestively.

"He wasn't thrilled but he gets it," Roxy explained. "They actually get along pretty well."

"Good," Pena smiled. "Now help me finish this goddamn counsel proposal speech."

\--

2 Year's Before/12 Years After Happy Died*

"Thomas," Roxy gasped when she saw him on her front step. "What are you doing here?"

Thomas smiled and for a split second Roxy was staring at Jax again. She swallowed hard and kept the urge to cry at bay.

"Hey Aunt Rox," he chuckled. "You uhh, wanna grab lunch?"

Looking back into the empty house, Rox nodded and grabbed her purse by the door. "Definitely."

They went to a diner not far from the scrap yard, Roxy knew to be careful even with her own blood. She hadn't seen Thomas in over ten years and she didn't know who he truly was or what his motives were.

"Look at you," she sighed. "You look like your dad."

He nodded. "Wendy always said that."

"How is Wendy?"

Thomas shrugged. "She's good."

"And Nero?"

His face fell. "Nero died. Heart attack."

"Shit. I'm sorry," Rox whimpered. "Is that why you came out?"

Thomas shook his head. "Abel patched SAMCRO. Day he turned 17 they let him prospect, he's been all in. With Nero gone I had to get out of there. I know what happened to my mom, I know what my dad did, I don't want to get involved with that shit. I don't have much more than some big plans but I need family and you're all I have left."

"Oh, Tommy," Roxy couldn't keep from crying any longer. "I'm so glad you came to me, I'm so sorry Abel patched. I'm kind of surprised," she admitted, wiping her tears. "Did Wendy tell him everything too?"

"Yeah, Abel's always gone against the grain. Got in trouble in school, always mixing with the wrong people," Thomas explained. "Nero said it's cause of what happened, all that shit when my mom died, it messed up his wiring. He decided he wanted to meet the Sons, claimed it was part of dad so he wanted to know more. He was hooked. The brotherhood, he said, but he's got a real brother so why does he need them?"

Roxy frowned. "Some people are lost and, in his defense, that life is intoxicating. I lived it. I still live it."

"You do?" He drew his head back.

The shame that came from that look on his face was something Roxy hadn't felt in many years. She'd gotten used to people judging her and Coco, they probably weren't far off in their assumptions either, but seeing the disgust on her nephew's face stung.

"Yeah," she said sadly. "I'm a Mayan old lady."

"Wow," his shoulders slumped a bit. "Okay."

"I can still help," she said quickly. "The Mayans are chill, there's none of the shit that came with the Sons. They keep their heads down and don't have the same delusions of grandeur Jax did."

"I hope not," he grumbled. "I don't want you end up murdered by your mother-in-law."

"Oh, no," she sighed. "Coco already killed his mom. I'm safe."

Thomas' eyes went wide.

"Don't worry, she was a monster," Roxy said casually.

"Uh. Okay."

"Sorry that was a bad thing to joke about," she said. "You look like your father but I'm sensing you're more your mother on the inside."

He beamed. "That's what they tell me. I wish I knew her, remembered her," he began to choke up. "Did you two get along?"

Roxy nodded. "Very well. She helped me a lot, she was kind of like a big sister. I was devastated when she died and furious when I found out who killed her. She would be so proud of what you're doing. Tara tried so hard to get you out."

"That's why I can't believe what Abel did," he huffed. "He knows everything. He knows what mom did but he fell right in line."

"I'm sorry," Roxy sighed. "Look, let me talk to Coco, we have a bit of a full house right now but I'm not letting you go back north. Okay?"

Thomas nodded and smiled. "Thank you. Full house? Do you and Coco have kids?"

"Three. We're kind of patched together, honestly. Mateo is my biological son and Leticia is his biological daughter then we have Valentina who is biologically both of ours."

"Shit," he laughed. "Alright. Guess adding the long lost nephew to the mix kind of fits."

"It fits," Roxy laughed. "Let's order and eat, I want to get to know more than the drama. What plans do you have in mind?"

"School," he said firmly. "Not sure if I want to try law school or medical school but I definitely want to go to school."

"Good," Roxy smiled. "I'll do whatever I can to help you, Thomas."

—

Present*

When Valentina got out of school she saw her father waiting for her instead of Letti, who stayed with her when Roxy had long meetings. Usually Valentina loved it but the excitement of seeing Coco sent her flying across the street.

"Dad!"

"Hey Teen," he laughed at her joyful reaction. "How was school?"

"Boring," she grumbled. "I saw Riz, he went by during recess."

Coco nodded. "Look, princesa, we gotta talk."

Valentina stomped her foot and glared at him. "I thought this was gonna be fun."

"We can still have fun if you drop that attitude," he said, becoming aggravated by her tone.

"Okay," she whinnied, "Whatever."

"Get on," he said, clipping his helmet on her head. "And don't tell Mom, Valentina, I mean it."

She nodded and jumped on, holding tight as Coco drove as slow as possible toward the scrap yard. They arrived and she happily jumped down, her smile growing as she saw a few other Mayans roll in.

"Hi guys," she said enthusiastically.

"Valentina," Bishop greeted her with a warm smile. "How are you, Chiquita?"

"Good! Club business?" She asked eagerly. "I told my dad today I'm going to be the first girl you guys patch. I mean it."

Bishop frowned a little but nodded. "Think your old man might have something to say about that."

"You ain't gonna patch if I get a vote," he said frankly, "And if I'm dead, Gilly's my proxy."

"I don't wanna be on this one's bad side," Gilly laughed.

"I'll haunt your ass," Coco said forcefully. "Come on, Teen, we gotta talk."

Bishop and Gilly sauntered into the clubhouse and Valentina's smile fell. "Lay off the club stuff?"

"Mayans don't patch girls," he said apologetically, "And I don't want this for you. I love you, munequita, and I love that you the club, they love you, but you gotta think outside all this." He turned her around and pointed out the cage. "I don't wanna see you in there fighting, digging through tons of scrap, slicing up your arms and hands, getting shot at, being in danger."

"But that, you said that doesn't happen a lot," she whimpered.

"Not everyday," he nodded, "But more than I want for you, mija. Me and your mom want you to do better than we did."

Valentina just nodded.

"You gotta lay off your mom too," he said more sternly. "Stop giving her shit, I mean it."

"Okay," she nodded. "I love you, Dad."

Coco sighed, guilt crawling into his mind remembering how hard he pushed for Roxy to terminate the pregnancy. It only took a few months for him to come around and Coco knew Valentina was the best thing to happen to them but some days it ate at him.

"I love you too," he said, hugging her. "Let's go for another ride before dinner."


	2. Chapter 2

*I apologize for the shortie but I wanted to get something posted for you guys! Please fave and comment! Also, if you haven't, follow me on Instagram PBB_Writer Thanks!*

"Can we stop and visit Dad?" Valentina asked, looking up at Letti with wide, innocent eyes.

Letti knew her little sister well, she knew those eyes were put on to increase the likelihood of a yes and it worked.

"Alright," she sighed. "How was school?"

Valentina shrugged. "Stupid."

"You don't know how good you have it," Letti shook her head. "When I was in school, Dad was," she stopped, "Not around a lot. You should listen to him and your mom, do your shit. Seriously."

"Ugh." Valentina groaned. She'd heard the same sentiment from Thomas and Mateo at different times as well but she had no idea how pleasant her life was compared to theirs. "Okay."

Letti gave her one last look in the rearview mirror before starting the ride to the yard. Sometimes she was jealous, a bit bitter, over how her dad got himself together and had Valentina but she knew age and experience had much to do with it. It wasn't lack of love for her on Coco's part, but it was a lot of everything else.

Before Letti even removed her key from the ignition, Valentina was out of the car and racing toward the clubhouse. Her feet pounded loudly on the porch steps announcing the visit before anyone could even see her.

"Where's my dad?" She asked Chucky eagerly.

"Templo," he said with a smile.

Valentina ran toward the stained glass door but was stopped short by Taza. They were rolling guns into bedrolls, not a thing Valentina needed to see or interrupt.

"Hold on, princesa," he chuckled. "I'll get him."

He snuck in, barely allowing Valentina an inch to peek, and quickly Coco slipped out slamming the door behind him.

"Teens," he smiled. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to see you," she beamed.

"And the clubhouse?"

She smiled, cheeky as always, and shrugged. "What are you doing?"

"Work," he said sharply. "Come on, you gotta get home."

She frowned and stomped but didn't fight him on it. Valentina took Coco's hand as he walked her back out to the yard.

"Hey Dad," Letti said sweetly. "Sorry, she really wanted to visit you."

"It's okay," he nodded. "Rox home?"

"I don't know, I text her but she didn't get back to me yet."

Coco nodded. "Alright. You know what to do, homework first."

"Got it," she said, clicking her tongue. "Come on, kid, let's go."

"Can I do my homework here?" She asked pleasingly.

"No," Coco huffed.

"Please?!"

"No," he said more harshly now. "Valentina, go home."

—

It was a wonderfully lazy Saturday in the Cruz home. Mateo and Valentina were sleeping, Thomas was reading in the backyard while Coco and Roxy were in bed, naked, enjoying the quiet freedom they had at that moment.

"I'm hungry," Roxy complained, "But I don't want to get out of bed."

"I don't wanna put clothes on," he let out a raspy chuckle.

"Me neither," she groaned, finally crawling out of bed. "What time is it?"

"Almost eleven," Coco said, sitting up.

"Holy shit," she laughed happily. "Now I don't mind getting up."

Roxy got dressed and twisted her hair into a messy bun before jogging down the steps and into the kitchen. She put on a pot of coffee, fixing a cup for Coco and herself then grabbed an apple from the basket before sitting down at the table. Just as she took her first sip there was a knock at the door.

"Jesus," she grumbled. Coco met her at the door, Roxy glancing over her shoulder at him as he pressed his hand to her back. "Are you expecting someone?" She asked him.

"Nope," he said casually. The visitor knocked again so Coco reached and opened the door.

"Abel," Roxy gasped. She knew him right away despite all the years since she had seen him. "What are you doing here?

"Hey Auntie," he said with a sunny smile. "Thought a little family reunion was in order. Tommy here?"

"Uhh, yeah, he's staying here," Roxy nodded. Gesturing to Coco who still stood behind her, Roxy tried to change the subject. "Abel this is my husband Coco, Coco this is," she was cut off quickly.

"Abel Teller," Coco nodded. "I know a goddamn Teller when I see one." Coco offered Abel his hand and the two men shook but there was a look between them, one of veiled suspicion.

"Nice to meet you," Abel said politely. "Is your name actually Coco?"

"That's what people call me," he said curtly, "So yeah, it's my name."

"Alright," Roxy pressed her palm to his chest. "He's playing tough, Coco. Ignore it."

"Anyway, is Tommy home? I'd love to see my little brother."

"I'm home," Thomas said, announcing his presence. "What are you doing here, Abel?"

"Visiting family," he said with feigned happiness. "I've never met Uncle Coco," he added patronizingly, "Or my cousins."

"You should go," Tommy said sternly.

"Reunion's over," Coco said authoritatively. "Head home, kid."

"I'm not a kid," he snapped at Coco.

Coco smirked and laughed. "Yeah, you are. Don't come around my house or my family again."

Roxy didn't say anything, she just looked at Abel with sad eyes. He was everything Jax and Tara didn't want him to be and that broke her heart.

"Alright, old man," he said mockingly. Looking at Roxy, Abel put on a mournful expression for her benefit. "Good to see Aunt Roxy."

She frowned and nodded. "Take care of yourself, Abel."

"I've been doing that my whole life," he shrugged as he got back on his bike. "Chibs and Tig say hello," he added, speeding off and leaving Roxy with a pit in her stomach.


	3. Chapter 3

11 Years Before*

Coming in from a long day, Coco tossed his dusty, dirty scarf into the hamper while kicking his boots off. He eagerly stripped-down, aching for a shower, when Roxy knocked on the door.

"Hey," she said shyly.

"Hi," Coco said sleepily.

Things had been slightly awkward, a bit tense, since Roxy told Coco she was pregnant. There was something between them, something that Roxy needed to clear up.

"How was the run?"

"Long."

She nodded. "At least you're home."

"Yep."

His lack of effort annoyed her so she dove right in. "I know this isn't what you want," Roxy sighed, "And it wasn't in our plan but I'm going to have this baby."

Coco didn't hide his horror or his rage as it colored his face but he kept himself contained. He nodded, understanding her point even if he didn't feel the same.

"Alright."

Roxy looked at him expectantly. "Alright?"

"What am I gonna do?" He asked, almost hoping she had an answer for him.

Shrugging, Roxy shuffled anxiously in her spot. "I just, uh, I don't know what this means for us."

"I don't know," he admitted. "I love you Rox but this," Coco shook his head. "I'm gonna stay at the clubhouse for a while."

"Oh," Roxy drew her head back. "Uh. Okay."

They stood there for a moment, silently looking at one another and hoping the other would bend but both were strong in their decision.

"I'm gonna shower and then pack up," he told her to break the silence.

"Johnny," she whimpered. "Can't you think about it? Maybe the idea will grow on you?"

"Nothing I can do but think about it," he said with a bit of attitude.

"I love you," she said earnestly.

"I love you too," he huffed. "Ain't about that."

"This is our baby," she said. "I want our baby."

Coco sighed heavily, his shoulders dropping, with his eyes locked on the floor. "Don't do that."

"I'm just being honest," she shrugged. "You have two boys you left out there in the world, I get why you thought that was best even if, well, it wasn't. Celia fucked up Letti," she was cut off sharply.

"Don't say her name," Coco said darkly.

"Okay, but she did and you decided to step up when your daughter needed you. I see you with Letti, I see how much you love her and I see how much your presence in her life has changed everything."

"Rox," he shook his head. "What you wanna raise this kid till it's 16 then I can come back around?"

"No, I want to give you the chance to be the father you always wanted to be but thought you weren't able to or maybe you were too scared to try."

"We got lucky with those two," he snapped. "Third time ain't the charm."

"Fine, then you should probably go," she said with purposeful cruelty.

Coco nodded. "What about Letti? Can she still stay?"

"Of course," she snapped. "I consider her my own, Johnny. I love her, I would never do that, no matter what happened with us."

"Thanks," he muttered.

"You know," she sighed, "This is really fucked up."

"I-I know," he stammered.

"No, you don't," she snapped. "We did this together, we knew there was a chance that Plan B wouldn't work. We took those chances."

"Guess I just figured it would," he shrugged. Coco turned, finished with the conversation, but he was easily pulled back in by something Roxy had kept from him for years.

"I killed a man for you, Johnny. I killed Happy for you, Angel and EZ, because YOU asked me to."

"You know he deserved that shit, he deserved more than what he got," Coco sneered.

"He was a very bad man," she agreed, "But he is the father of my child. He trusted me when I begged him to give a fucking organ to Mateo. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't regret what I did."

"Why didn't you say no?" Coco asked angrily. "You don't get to put this on me three years later, like some fucking guilt trip."

"Say no?" She laughed ruefully. "You literally painted it as a choice between The Mayans and SAMCRO. Between you and Santo Padre and Charming. What was I going to do? Say no to the only person I had in the world? My only family?"

"So, what, you think I forced you?" He snapped.

"No," she said quickly. "You pressured me but I made that choice, I did it for you thinking that you would one day do the same thing for me. Make a choice that you really didn't want to for me."

"Rox," he said, his rage deflating. "This is different."

"Much different," she nodded. "This is a baby. You're going to walk away from me, from years of battles and building a family together because I don't want to abort a baby that I want because it's part of you."

"I gotta go," he huffed, overwhelmed by the entire conversation. Coco didn't bother with his shower or packing clothes, he grabbed his boots and stormed out in a flash.

—

Present*

"So?" Roxy looked at her nephew expectantly, reading the expression on his face, studying it for any clue he was being dishonest.

"I don't know," he huffed. "I really don't know what he's playing at."

"Do you trust him?" She asked him pointedly.

Thomas hesitated. "I mean, he's my brother, so yeah."

"You know what happened in our family, Tommy," Roxy said sadly. "Being your brother doesn't mean shit. If your dad and Coco were both right here and I had to choose one of them, the one I knew would do right by me, I'd pick Coco."

Thomas drew his head back. "I know what he did but," he shook his head. "Wendy and Nero always said he loved his family."

"He did but he was selfish and too proud," Roxy said bluntly. "I'm not saying Coco has never been selfish, he has, but when he died Jax was just a few years older than Coco is now. The difference in maturity and, just everything, is staggering."

"That shit about Happy is true, isn't it?"

"What shit?" She asked quickly.

"He's Mateo's birth father," Thomas said quietly. "Jax told you to lie, years of drama ensue."

Roxy nodded. "That's essentially what happened."

"Does he know?"

"Who?"

"Mateo," he said with a huff.

Roxy shook her head then shrugged. "I don't actually know. When he was younger he knew Coco wasn't his dad but he was so little and that year was so traumatic," Roxy sighed. "It doesn't matter. Mateo is a Cruz, he calls Coco "Dad" and everything."

"It matters," Thomas said ominously. "When Abel was old enough, before he forgot our mom, that shit with Wendy fucked him up. Then, after a while, Tara faded and I guess the hurt did too."

Hearing it all made Roxy sick to her stomach. "Well, I don't need to dredge any shit up that'll hurt him. He's not a kid anymore anyway," she said as an excuse. "This isn't about Happy and Mateo, this is about Abel and his reasons for being here."

Thomas shook his head. "I'm as lost as you. Why did you wait for Coco to leave?"

"What?"

"You waited for Coco to leave before talking to me about this."

"I wasn't sure if you'd be more open to talking without him," she shrugged.

"I trust you both equally," Thomas told her. "You're awarded no extra points for our similar DNA," he cracked a smile.

"Smartass," she said, glaring at him. "Seriously though, there was something about his expression, his smirk, it was so unsettling."

"Abel's always been a weirdo," Thomas admitted. "When we got older Nero told us some of the shit that went down, the shit that Abel was doing at school and all."

Roxy grimaced. "I remember. Let's keep this between us for now, okay?"

"Gotcha," he said with a click of his tongue. "If I hear anything or he calls me I'll let you know."

"You're a good boy, Tommy. Every bit what your mom died hoping you'd grown into."

His chin quivered a little. "You mean that?"

"I knew Tara very well, she was like a sister to me. Trust me, Thomas, she would be so proud of you."


	4. Chapter 4

Early one morning, Roxy had an unexpected visitor at her office. Mateo stood in front of her desk, still drunk from the night before, glaring at her.

"You killed my father," he slurred.

Roxy's head shot up. "What did you say?"

"Happy Lowman, he was my dad, wasn't he?"

"Teo, Coco is your father," she said calmly.

Mateo laughed darkly. "Not my biological dad."

"Well, no, but DNA doesn't make someone a father," Roxy felt her stomach start to churn. "Coco raised you, he loves you, he took care of us," she explained. "Where is this coming from?"

"Abel," he snapped. "We went out last night," he explained.

"Why would you do that?" Roxy asked him accusingly. "You know he's only here to shake up Thomas."

"I don't know any of my actual family, Mom," he complained. "I wanted to get to know him."

"You have an actual family," she snapped. "You have me and your father and your sisters. We are your actual family."

"You know what I mean," he grumbled. "Blood. My blood family."

"Valentina and I are your blood, Mateo, Thomas is too."

Mateo shook his head. "I can hang out with whoever I want."

"Fine, but you don't get to burst in here and accuse me of shit like that."

"So you didn't kill Happy?" He glared at her. "My biological father?"

"No," she growled.

"Liar!" He hollered. "I heard you! I heard you trying to convince Coco to have Valentina, he didn't want her, and you said you killed Happy for him so he should stick around."

"What?" She drew her head back. "What are you talking about?"

"I was a kid," he explained. "I don't think I even understood it back then but it all makes sense now."

"Baby, you don't remember that far back," she said softly. "And if Abel is filling in the blanks for you, I doubt he's being completely honest. He's here for a reason."

"To make sure I know who I am," he said accusingly. "I have a whole family up north."

"No, you don't," Roxy shouted at him. "They're dead. All of them are fucking dead, Mateo. Now leave this shit alone, bury it and move on. There is nothing for you in Charming or in these bullshit stories Abel is selling you. All he's going to do it hurt you, like his father hurt me and so many others."

"You mean Jax?"

"Yes, I mean Jax," she said, calming herself down. "The man who had me lie about your biological father, the man who killed countless people including our own mother."

"He killed her because she killed Tara!"

"She killed Tara because she was fucking crazy," Roxy had started yelling but ended the sentence in tears. "Mateo please. Don't do this."

"It wasn't Abel filling in all the blanks, Letti was out with us too," he explained. "She talked Coco into staying around when Valentina was born, she knows everything."

"She told you how Happy died?" Roxy looked at Mateo in a panic. "She told you that I killed him?"

"No, but you pretty much just did," he sneered. "How did you do it?"

"I didn't kill him," Roxy said forcefully. "You're not a kid anymore, Mateo, so I won't treat you like one. Let this go, rumors and hurt feelings are not facts. Yes, Happy is your biological father but I didn't kill him."

"You said it," he snapped. "You said it to Coco."

"You were a kid," she said darkly. "You don't know what you heard. Besides, mijo, even if I did, it's dangerous to go running your mouth like this."

His face twisted up and he shook his head. "No ones gonna hurt you," he snapped.

"Are you kidding me?" She stood up and leaned over her desk glaring at him. "I just told you my mother killed Tara so Jax killed her. What makes you think they wouldn't come after me if I did actually do what you're saying?"

"Coco," he said with an annoyed look. "The whole club. The shit you talk about as a kid, that doesn't happen here."

"We're not in a bubble," she huffed. "Abel came down here, there's Sons charters close by. You have no idea how sheltered you and your sister have been. How safe we kept you, how we hid shit so you didn't have to live in fear like I did."

"Mom," he felt his chest tighten. "You're scaring me."

"Then don't come in here throwing around wild accusations that could get me killed," she growled at him. "I'm your mother, Mateo show me some respect and trust me when I tell you things. Okay?"

Mateo nodded. "I-I'm sorry, Mom."

"Sober up, get some sleep and make better choices," she huffed, sitting back down again. "Get out of here. Now."

—

"Why is SAMCRO sniffing around?" Bishop asked as he, Coco, Angel and EZ gathered around the table.

"It's just Abel, Teller's oldest kid," Coco explained.

"Thomas' brother?" Bishop asked, already knowing Thomas through Coco and Roxy.

Coco nodded. "His fucked up brother."

"What's he want?"

"I don't know," Coco admitted, "But I think it might have something to do with Happy."

"Lowman?" Bishop asked, clearly shocked by the mention of a long dead man.

"Yup," Coco nodded. "Seems to think something shady went down all those years ago."

"I think he's recruiting," Angel added. "Heard from Stockton that SAMCRO is thinning out, they need new blood. Who better than a Teller and a Lowman?"

"Mateo?" Bishop huffed. "He's less a Lowman than anything."

"I know," Coco said protectively. "Rox says he's probably fucked up cause of all that shit before Jax died. Kid was cutting himself in fucking kindergarten," Coco told them.

"It's not a club issue," Bishop reminded them. "I don't know what you think I can do or why you called me in to meet here."

"It's more than recruiting," EZ finally spoke up. "Happy killed our mom," he said, gesturing to Angel. "We knew we couldn't do anything outright without it coming back on the club and," EZ was sharply cut off.

"You knew if you came to me back then I'd end any plans you had," he growled accusingly.

"Basically," EZ shrugged. "I came up with a plan, we talked Roxy into helping, and Happy was dead a couple months later."

Bishop blinked twice, unsure he was hearing EZ correctly, and told him to repeat himself.

"We killed Happy."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Bishop hollered, flying from his chair at the head of the table and attacking EZ.

"Yo, yo, yo," Angel jumped up to pull Bishop off EZ. "It was all of us, not just E, we all talked her into it." It was mostly Coco but the three had decided to have each other's backs the whole way.

"She has her reasons for helping too," Coco told Bishop. "He was pushing for visitation, wanted the kid to go north with him, telling Teo he was his dad, fucking with his head."

"How did she do it?" Bishop asked mostly out if interest.

"Supplements," EZ said. "All that Saint John's Wart shit thins the blood. You take a lot of those fucking herbs, like a lot, daily for a few months and a major surgery is a death sentence."

Bishop chuckled darkly. "So you had her poison him? Jesus Christ," he shook his head. "You know, you're scary fucking smart sometimes."

"They can't prove anything," Coco said, moving back to the point. "But Abel's around, he's hanging out with Mateo and Letti, filling the kid's head with shit about Happy and it's triggering memories."

EZ waited for Coco to tell Bishop exactly what happened earlier that week but he seemed to be dancing around it.

"Mateo went to Roxy at work and accused her of killing his birth father," Ez blurted out.

"He did?" Bishop asked in shock. "Jesus Christ. Doesn't he know what could happen if someone hears him throwing those words around?"

"We fucked up," Coco admitted. "Him and Teeny, they don't get it. We kept them so fucking sheltered they have no idea how dangerous Abel is, how a couple words get people killed."

Bishop sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose to release some tension. "You need to catch those two up to speed. I know you both had fucked up childhoods and you wanted to protect them but they have to know the reality," Bishop ordered Coco. "Maybe that'll end Teeny's obsession with patching in."

Coco nodded. "We're gonna talk to the three of them."

"You two," Bishop looked at the Reyes brothers. "For a fucking punishment, you have to keep an eye on Roxy, at a distance, and make sure Abel's not pounding the goddamn pavement around here."

"We gotta babysit?" Angel asked angrily.

"You killed a member of an ally club without a vote or a goddamn word," Bishop growled. "You're fucking lucky I don't take your patches. If it was anyone other than your mother and I would have."

Angel and EZ hung their heads and nodded.

"Go, all of you, now we gotta keep a goddamn war from breaking out."


	5. Chapter 5

That evening, Coco, Roxy, Letti, Mateo and Valentina sat around the dinner table. The Cruzs didn't have family dinner often, Letti and Mateo were older, the former out of the house completely, and work schedules made dinner with both of Valentina's parents rare. This was not a typical family meal, not for the Cruzs or any family for that matter.

"What is this?" Letti asked, feeling nosy rather than concerned.

Mateo looked at Roxy as she and Coco made eyes at each other. "Are you pregnant?" He asked in horror.

"No," Roxy and Coco both snapped.

"Hard enough to convince him to have Valentina," Mateo grumbled.

"Mateo," Roxy growled.

"What?" Valentina looked up from her phone she had been peeking in her lap.

"Yeah, well, you're adopted," Letti said to Mateo to help cover his remark.

"So are you," Mateo snapped at her. "Literally, we both are," he added.

"Christ," Coco slapped his hands down on the table. "Shut up, all of you."

The entire table straightened up and shut their mouths, eyes on their plates but still able to feel Coco's angry eyes.

"Listen," Roxy started. "Letti knows most of what we're going to talk to you about but she's here for support and camaraderie, or whatever," she huffed.

"My club moves heroin over the border and through Cali," Coco quickly started. "We work with the cartel, other clubs, drug dealers. I'm a fucking murderer, I kill people, your mom killed people before. She had her whole fuckin' family wiped out becasue of SOA shit, club shit."

It broke his heart to see the horror on his youngest daughter's face. Seeing him falter, Roxy took over seamlessly.

"I work for the mayor but I don't spend my time doing local business," Roxy admitted shamefully. "I'm, essentially, her illegal assistant. Cartel meetups, fudged documents, bribes, they all go through me. We never wanted any of you to know this shit, we didn't want you to be scared all the fucking time like we were as kids. We didn't prepare you for the life we brought you into though, we hoped you'd have a better life. Emotional trauma would only keep you in this cycle."

"What the fuck?" Valentina hissed. "Daddy, you're not a murderer. You said when you were a sniper you did what you had to do and here, with the club, you protect yourself."

"I lied," Coco said sadly. "I want a good life for you. I want you away from this bullshit, Teeny. Your mom got knocked up by a man twice her age, he manipulated her, fucked her over and now she's stuck with me, in this shit hole town. We don't want that for you, bebita."

"So it's true?" Mateo asked, glaring at his mother. "Happy's my real dad and you killed him?"

"Shut your mouth," Coco said threateningly. "Anyone hears that shit she's on the fucking line."

"Is he? Did you?" Mateo looked at her, ignoring Coco's warning.

"Happy is your birth father, well he was," she said spitefully, "And yes, I killed him."

Valentina and Mateo both gasped, drawing their heads back in disgust and horror.

"Wh-why?" Valentina asked, less emotionally traumatized than Mateo.

Roxy looked at Coco who nodded at her supportively. "Happy murdered Angel and EZ's mother."

"Abel said Tig thinks it's because you wanted to keep me away from him," Mateo spat.

"Of course I did," she hollered. "I wanted you out of Charming, Teo. I wanted you away from the Sons, away from the town and people that ruined my life."

"Good job," Valentina grumbled. "You left one club for another."

"The Mayans are not like SAMCRO," Roxy said defensively. "Valentina, my brother murdered my mother, my mother murdered his wife, she helped murder her first husband and her lies got multiple members killed. The Mayans have had their ups and downs but nothing nearly as destructive and hateful as what I saw my entire life up north."

"Guys," Letti finally spoke. "You have no idea how much Mom and Dad have done for you. I was so pissed, for years I was bitter and I hated you because you got the good parents, you got them when they were settled and mostly happy. Even you, Teo, you were too young to remember the bad shit. You guys had such a good childhood. This is blowing your minds, I know, but they did it because they love you."

"How do you lie about that?" Mateo asked, getting you from the table. "You're murderers!"

Roxy inhaled sharply, tears stinging her eyes, but didn't speak to defend herself.

"Sit down," Coco growled, "And apologize you your mother."

"No way," he spat. "Fuck you. You're not my fucking dad and I wish you weren't my mom."

"Mateo," Coco shouted after him. He went to follow but Roxy grabbed his wrist.

"Let him go, he needs to cool off, work through it."

"May I be excused?" Valentina asked in a quiet, monotone voice.

"Teeny, I'm not done," Coco said gently as not to rattle her further. "I'm sorry I lied. I never wanted you to know this shit, I never thought I would be a good dad but you think I am. I didn't wanna lose that. I didn't wanna lose you."

"Honey," Roxy sighed. "What are you thinking?"

Valentina shook her head.

"Come on, tell me." Coco pried knowing whatever she could say to hurt him would pale in comparison to how he felt about himself. "Please."

"I wish you woulda kept lying," she sniffled. "Can I go to my room?"

"Teen," Coco sighed.

"Valentina, your dad is still the same guy he was this morning, nothing has changed. He loves you more than anything, he would do anything for you."

"Okay."

"What is it?" Letti asked Valentina.

Valentina leaned over and whispered into Letti's ear, "I'm scared of him now."

"Oh," Letti whimpered. "You don't have to be. Trust me."

"What?" Coco asked urgently. "Tell me what she said."

Valentina just nodded at her big sister.

"She said she's scared of you now," Letti said reluctantly.

"You can go," he said, finally answering her question from before. "Teeny I'll never hurt you, I promise."

Valentina nodded again before bolting toward her bedroom.

Roxy, Coco and Letti sat for a moment before the youngest of them excused herself. "I'm sorry, that went really bad. They'll get over it, they will, it was just a huge shock."

"They won't," Roxy sighed. "They are fundamentally changed now. Even if they don't hate us forever, things will always be different."

Letti, unsure of what to say, kissed her parents on the cheek and hurried out of the house. As soon as the door shut behind her, Coco began to cry and immediately buried his face in Roxy's chest.

"I'm sorry," Roxy whispered as she combed her fingers though his long hair. "I'm so sorry, Johnny."

"No sorry," he grumbled. "We're in this shit together."

"They'll come around, things won't always be this bad," Roxy whispered.

"You think?"

"I hope," she said, beginning to cry herself. "We did so much to protect them from our lives but it ended up doing more damage didn't it?"

"No," Coco sniffled and composed himself. "Maybe this will push em' farther than we coulda. They had a happy childhood and this shit, it'll push em' so far from us."

Roxy nodded, knowing despite how it broke her heart it would be what was best for their children.

"I don't regret anything with us, I'd do it all again just maybe a little differently," she laughed sadly. "If this goes sideways," she sighed.

"You're not saying fucking goodbye," Coco chided. "No one is dying. You hear me, Rox? No one."

"Okay," she didn't finish her thought. "I need something to calm me down. You?"

"No," he stood up. "I'm going to take a ride."

They kissed and Coco left, just as Roxy had hoped he would. Pouring herself a drink, she knocked on the basement door and waited for Thomas to respond. He called out for her to come down the stairs into his makeshift apartment.

"Sorry," she said as he came into view. "I heard you come in through the back doors."

"And I heard that family meeting," he sighed. "You okay?"

"No," she chugged the drink. "I need a favor and you can't say shit to anyone."

"What now?"

"Where's Abel staying?"

"No, Auntie," he said quickly. "I'm not helping you either kill him or get killed yourself."

"Thomas," she snapped. "I'm not going to kill him. I want to talk to him now that I know what he's fucking up to."

"If you go, I'm coming with you," Thomas said forcefully.

"Dumb and dumber," she snorted. "What could go wrong with us confronting this little violent psycho?"

"He's still my brother," Thomas sighed.

"I'm sorry," she shook her head.

Thomas shrugged. "I get it. Trust me. We'll swing by tomorrow? Talk to him, as family, and see if we can't get him to go home and let dead members stay dead."

"Thank you, Tommy," she smiled a little. "You always were my favorite," Roxy joked. "Studying?"

"As always," he said proudly.

"Good boy," she smiled wistfully. "Love you, kid."

"Love you too, Auntie," he called after her as she made her way up the stairs. "I don't want to bury anyone else," he added. "We have to fix this."

Roxy looked back down the steps at him and nodded. "Yeah, me neither. We'll figure it out."

Doubting herself, Roxy grabbed the bottle rather than pour herself another glass and went right up to bed.


	6. Chapter 6

"You okay, Auntie?"

Roxy inhaled sharply, Thomas' concerned words cutting through the noise in her head bringing her back to reality.

"Oh, uh, yeah," she said distractedly. "Nervous, actually, but I'm okay."

"I am too," he admitted. "We're going in peace," Thomas reminded her. "Just to talk as a family."

"Tommy, Tellers talking as a family is never good," she laughed.

"You bring that shit up a lot," he told her. "My parents and grandma, the shit that happened when I was a baby."

"I never dealt with it," she said by way of explanation. "I ran down here, got mixed up with the Mayans, had a fucked up relationship with Coco, got arrested, killed Happy," she rattled it off casually as if it were a grocery list. "I never made peace with it."

"You seem kind of peaceful now," Thomas told her. "At least you did until Abel showed up."

Roxy looked at him and huffed. "Tell me about it. We were finally settled and content, our biggest issue was Valentina wanting to be a goddamn Mayan."

"He's here for me, I'm sorry," Thomas said as he parked.

"Oh, no, I think Abel's here for both of us," she said. "Either way, don't beat yourself up. I learned a long time ago you can blame yourself for other people's choices."

They got out, sharing a look, and walked up toward the motel. It was odd that they weren't at the SAMDINO clubhouse, Abel even mentioned it, but minor in the scheme of things.

"One bike," Thomas noted. "I didn't think he'd be alone."

"I'm glad he is," Roxy sighed. She knocked on the door, sudden fear gripping her chest, and waited.

"Abel, it's me," Thomas said after a minute or two.

"And me, Roxy," she added.

The door opened but it wasn't Abel in the room, it was Chibs.

"Aw fuck," Roxy grumbled.

"Not happy to see me?" He asked with a smirk, stepping aside for them to enter.

Roxy rolled her eyes but stepped over the threshold anyway. "Not particularly."

I

"Tommy, my boy," Chibs greeted the youngest son warmly. "Been too long."

"Yeah," Thomas said with a shrug.

"Where's Abel?"

"Out," Chibs said with a look. "We should talk, lass."

"I don't have anything to say to you," Roxy said bluntly but without negativity or malice.

"But you do," Chibs said darkly.

"Why are you here?" Roxy said, growing angry. "Why do this? Why disrupt everything after so fucking long?"

"Cause your boy has a big mouth," Chibs said ominously.

"Which boy?" She asked. "I have a few."

"Happy's son, Mateo," he said with a low growl.

"Mateo is Coco's son," she corrected Chibs. "Why do you think he has a big mouth?"

Chibs sneered at her but didn't speak.

"Why are you here?" Thomas interrupted. "That's all we want to know."

"Old friends," Chibs said vaguely.

"Please, cut the shit," Roxy snapped. "Why are you here? Why is Abel harassing my kids?"

"He was looking for his brother," Chibs said, being honest for a brief moment. "Came across some other interesting information accidentally."

"Well, Prez, please keep your little heir apparent away from my family, that includes the Mayans."

"Still pushing into club business?"

Roxy rolled her eyes. "Aren't you too old for this shit? You're still in guns, obviously, a nice tribute to my brother, by the way, maybe focus on that during your twilight years." She turned to leave but Chibs' next words stopped her cold.

"You abandoned the club but you're still a Teller, even if you don't want to be, and that means I can't put a bullet in your head without real proof that you killed Happy." Chibs smiled as she froze midstep. "Do you think your club will start a war to protect you or sacrifice you peace and business?"

"I didn't kill Happy," she said. "They won't start a war, they'll protect me against these bullshit delusions. Don't forget, Bishop took me in from day one."

"Because Alvarez told him too, not out of the goodness of his own heart," Chibs sneered.

"True, but that changed quickly," she said. Roxy knew that Bishop had no concern for her outside of his duty to Alvarez but that after a short time he grew to look at her as his little sister. "And Coco, well, that goes without saying. He's my fucking husband."

"How many of the men you've been with ended up dead? You're just like your mother," Chibs added mockingly. "Coco should watch himself with you."

"Fuck you," Roxy spat. "Stay away from me and my families, Filip. I'm fucking serious."

"Come on," Thomas said, swinging the door open quickly, "Time to go, Aunt Rox."

"You're not going to do this, Chibs. I'm not Jax's little sister anymore. You can't scare me or manipulate me."

"Roxy, now," Thomas said, sounding more like his father than ever. Grabbing her hand he pulled her from the motel room and dragged her to his car. "What was that? You were practically threatening him."

"I know," she said in disbelief. "I don't know where that came from."

"You have to tell Coco," Thomas was still holding her hand as they hurried back to the car. "That was nothing but threats thrown back and forth."

Roxy nodded. "Yeah, I know. I'll handle it."

—

That evening, after everyone else was settled in for the night, Roxy sat in the backyard with a joint and a drink. She was weighing her options, the only two she felt she had, in an attempt to possibly decide on her next move.

The gate clinked and clattered as someone crept into the yard in full view of Roxy. Abel wasn't trying to sneak but he also didn't want to alert Coco, Mateo or Thomas to his presence.

"Abel," she sighed.

"Roxanna," he nodded. "I heard you were looking for me."

"Just wanted to chat," she shrugged. "You come here to kill me?"

Abel drew his head back with genuine surprise. "Why would you think that?"

Roxy scoffed. "Chibs was pretty open with his feelings."

"I don't really want to do that," he admitted. "I know you killed Happy, Mateo told me that first night we were out. He came to me, made me promise I wouldn't hurt you, told me he remembered it wrong, he was very adamant you were innocent."

Remaining silent to keep from sobbing, Roxy just nodded.

"And I thought about my mom," he said, showing the slightest bit of emotion. "Gemma killed her because she was trying to protect her kids, me and Tommy," he shrugged. "Seeing Mateo crying, a grown man, it brought a lot of shit back."

"I'm sorry you're dealing with that," she whimpered. "It's not easy losing your mom at any age."

"I don't want to kill you," he admitted. "I did, and I still kind of do I guess, but maybe I can work out a deal. Tig's on his way down, they want you dead for killing Happy but maybe I can switch your blood for some of Happy's."

"You want to kill Mateo?" She shot up from her chair. "You think I'd pick that fucking deal? I will rip your goddamn heart out before I let you touch any of my children you selfish, psychotic little shit."

Abel laughed and shook his head. "Fuck. You say all that shit and then think I'm the psycho? I don't want to kill Mateo, I want you to trade one Lowman for the other. Talk him into prospecting, give those old assholes what they want, their brother back, and everyone lives."

"Until Mateo dies like the rest of them," she said bitterly. "No."

"I'll let you think about it," he said, taking two steps back. "It's a lot, I know."

"It's not," she snapped. "I won't do it. I won't hand my son over to you because you think I killed Happy."

Abel nodded slowly. "Back to that? Innocence?"

"Never left it," she crossed her arms over her chest. "Get off my property."

"Just think about it," he advised as he walked back toward the gate. "You're emotional, Tellers make bad choice when we're upset." Abel winked and slipped out leaving Roxy with one option.

Downing her drink in one gulp, looking toward the sky, Roxy groaned, "Guess I'll be seeing you all soon."


	7. Chapter 7

Arriving home around his usual time, Bishop was surprised to find Roxy sitting on his front step. Twenty years ago he would have expected it, enjoyed it as well, but it had been a very long time since Roxy needed him.

"Everything okay?" He asked immediately. "Coco's not here."

Roxy nodded. "I know, he's home with Teeny. I was hoping we could talk."

"Of course," he nodded. Bishop held out his hand for her to follow him into the house. "Beer?"

"Anything harder?"

Bishop smirked. "Always."

Waiting impatiently on the couch, Roxy felt slightly less anxious when she was with Bishop. She knew he'd help, he'd take care of everything and keep both her and Coco safe while they protected their kids.

"You've always been like an uncle to me," she said, bringing her glass to her lips. "Too cool to be a dad."

Bishop chuckled. "When I took you in I wasn't thrilled, Rox. I did it for Marcus but you were a good kid, closest thing I have to a kid, little sister," he shrugged. "So whatever you need, whatever you can't tell Coco, I got you. Always."

"Bish," she whimpered. "Chibs wants me dead. Abel wants Mateo and probably Thomas. I just want my family. I was so close to just letting Chibs kill me but I can't. Maybe it's selfish but I don't want to die and I don't want my kids and Coco to have to deal with that."

"No one is dying," he said firmly. "What happened? Give me details."

Roxy explained it all but Bishop didn't react to anything until she outlined the conversation she had with Abel the night before.

"He's a manipulative shit, Rox," Bishop spat. "He's not trying to stop the blood or make a deal, he's playing you."

Roxy shook her head. "I really wanted to believe he was being genuine."

"He was being genuine, he genuinely wanted to fuck with that head," he said, knocking on her skull. "You sure Mateo told him?"

"At this point," she sipped her drink again, "It doesn't matter. It just has to end."

Leaning forward, elbows on his knees, Bishop let out a heavy sigh. "Alright. We're gonna do this the only fucking way we can if we wanna keep everyone alive."

"You already have a plan?" She asked, surprised.

"It's not really a plan, it's more like what we'd actually have to do in this situation," he explained. "We'll set up a meet with SAMCRO, Packer and Alvarez can act as mediators. Terms are simple, if they can provide solid proof you killed Lowman, I'll hand you over and if they can't you're free to go."

"They'll never agree," she whimpered. "You know that."

"They have to," Bishop told her. "We're outlaws but there are rules. They can't just claim you killed a brother and have that be enough to put a bullet in your head, not if they don't want goddamn war."

"Okay," she said hesitantly. "What if they have proof?"

"Is there any?" He asked forcefully.

"There's only one other person who knows," she told him. "The nurse, Happy's pre-op nurse. She gave him a little something extra so Coco and them could have their last word."

Bishop took a deep breath. "We gotta find her first."

"And?" Roxy looked at Bishop with wide eyes.

"Rox," Bishop said sympathetically. "It's you or her."

"She was just doing us a favor," Roxy stammered. "It's been like 15 fucking years, Bishop."

"They will make her talk," he told her, "And you're out of your fucking mind if you think they haven't already started looking for anyone to fill in the blanks."

"Ga-Gabriela Arroyo," she stammered. "She was a friend of Angel's in high school. I'm not sure if she's still local."

"I'll talk to Angel," Bishop told her. "You think Coco is gonna be good with this?"

"No," she shook her head. "He's going to be mad you'd even think of telling them they can have me, even if it's a bluff."

"I meant with you coming to me," Bishop said quietly.

"He's gonna be hurt," she said sadly. "It's just too much for him, I don't want him to have all this on his shoulders. He's so sensitive, he's so emotionally needy, I don't know how he'd keep himself together."

"I agree," Bishop said. "He's too close. He loves you and those kids too much, he's head isn't clear."

"Thank you, Bishop," she said, breaking down. "I love you, I love all of you. I may have been born into SAMCRO but the Mayans are my family."

"Don't cry," he chided. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you, querida. I love you, Rox. I'll keep you and those kids safe."

She nodded, "That's why I came to you."

"You want me to talk to Coco?"

"No," she groaned. "I should. He's gonna be pissed I didn't tell him, he'll think I don't trust him or that I think he can't protect me. That's not the truth and he deserves to hear it all from me."

—

After leaving Bishop's, Roxy laid in bed beside Coco waiting for him to open his eyes. Once he did, she didn't hesitate and immediately outlined her conversations with Chibs and Abel. Roxy didn't tend to underestimate people, especially the ones she knew and loved, but in this instance she underestimated her husband.

"He was here?" Coco hissed, sitting up quickly. "He threatened you? In my house?"

"The yard actually," she said timidly.

"Rox," Coco shouted, getting to his feet. "You gotta tell me this! How am I supposed to keep you and the kids safe if you don't tell me shit?"

"This is too close to you," she told him. "You can't think straight. Chibs wants to kill me, Coco. Kill. Me. That thought is going to fuck your brain up. It's going to cloud your thoughts. And honestly Johnny, I don't want that for you and I don't want you to have five lives in your shoulders."

"You can't do this yourself," he barked, glaring down at her accusingly.

"I'm not," she finally shouted back. "I went to Bishop."

Coco's eyes went wide as he stared at her. She could see the betrayal and rage that coursed through his body.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I didn't want you to have to carry this."

"You went to Bishop, behind my fucking back?"

Growing defensive, Roxy stood up from the bed. "Hey, Bishop is like a fucking father to me, you know that! Mateo and I stayed with him when I first came here, he took care of us when you assholes barely said hello. You need protection just as much as me and the kids, don't act like you're innocent in all this. You know they think you helped and if you didn't you'll still be protecting me, so you've got a target on your back too."

"Es una maldita mentira," he sneered.

"Yeah, yeah, deny it," she said dismissively. "You know it's true, it's not bullshit."

"I could have handled it," he snapped at her. "I can't fucking believe you, Rox!"

"See? This, this right here is why I went to Bishop," she said smugly. "You'd be freaking out about him coming here if I didn't bring up Bish. We already have a plan while you're in your underwear, ranting and raving at me in Spanish."

"What's the plan?" He asked, grabbing his jeans from the bedpost.

"You guys are gonna meet with SAMCRO, strike a deal and end this shit peacefully," she huffed.

"A deal?" Coco was not convinced. "What's the fucking deal?"

"It's a bluff but, if they can prove I killed Happy they can have me," she said anxiously knowing he would flip out.

"Sobre mi cadáver," he shouted at her. He proceeded to go off with such intensity and so quickly that Roxy couldn't understand.

"Johnny!" She snapped. "This. This is why I went to Bishop. I know you can do it. I know you can protect me. I don't want you to have to do it alone."

"The nurse," he suddenly said.

Roxy just nodded.

"I'll take care of it," he told her. Coco wasn't willing to admit Roxy was right but he wasn't going to keep whining when there was something he could do.

"I know you can," she sniffled. "I love you. I love you so much."

"Sabes que te amo," he muttered as they met for a hug. "I want you at the clubhouse with the kids until this shit is over. Got me?"

Roxy rolled her eyes but agreed. "Of course."

"Pack up," he ordered. "Ima talk to Bish and head out as soon as I can."

"Thank you," she said, stroking his face. "I owe you everything."

"You got no idea how wrong you are, mi vida. You saved my fucking life," he said, kissing her forehead.

Roxy pouted. "Yeah, well now you gotta go kill someone to save mine."

"Did it before, do it again," he shrugged. "Get your shit together, I'm trying to head out today."

Watching as he quickly got dressed, Roxy felt pants of guilt in her chest. She didn't want the woman to die for her but there she was, giving Coco and Bishop the information and effectively signing Nurse Arroyo's death warrant.

"It's all good."

Roxy nodded, "Yeah, all good."


	8. Chapter 8

Neither Bishop, Coco nor Chibs and Tig had any say in the planning of their meet. Packer and Alvarez set everything in motion and the morning of the clubs finally got their destination.

"She has to be there," Alvarez said to Bishop. "They want to see her, know she's local," he explained.

"I get it," Bishop sighed. "Coco won't like it."

"He doesn't have a choice," Alvarez said firmly.

Bishop nodded. "We'll see you down there."

—

Roxy jumped out of the van, eager to stretch her body after the long ride, and watched as the others rolled into their parking spots. For a moment she was in her 20s again, the excitement she felt seeing the club arrive in formation reminding her of her first few weeks with the Mayans.

"My guy," she said sweetly as Coco approached her. "I know you hate this. I'm sorry."

"This ain't on you," Coco said sadly, gesturing to Angel and EZ across the lot. "This shit is our mess but you're the one paying for it."

"Not me," she frowned. "Did you find her?"

"Got a few leads from Franky." Coco shook his head. "That ain't got nothing to do with you."

Roxy nodded, "Yeah. Not a thing."

No one was thrilled about the meeting but they still lingered in their cordoned-off area, a full bar to keep them occupied.

"Is drinking really the best idea right now?" Roxy asked Bishop as he downed another beer.

"I'm better buzzed," he said with a smile.

"Yeah, well, you're on your way drunk," she complained.

"Nothing is going to happen to you," he said, kissing her cheek, "Or anybody else."

Hours crept by slowly until Alvarez came to pull them to the meeting room. Sons and Mayans entered at the same time and sat without any type of greeting. Roxy sat in a folding chair in the corner with Coco standing over her.

"We want her," Chibs said darkly. "Won't be much negotiatin' unless that's on the table."

"You can have her," Bishop said calmly, "If you have solid proof that Roxy killed Happy."

"Proof?" Tig barked. "Fuck proof. She said it. Happ's kid said it. She fucking killed him."

"Mateo is MY son," Roxy snapped, jumping from her seat.

"He's grown," Bishop said, holding his hand up toward Roxy. "Now sit." Turning back to Chibs and the Sons, Bishop shook his head. "You think you could just come around and take out a member of a club, of a family, for retaliation without proof? Bullshit. If she did wrong we know what's gotta happen but there are fucking rules."

"Did she follow the rules when she killed Happy?" Abel finally spoke up from a few spots down.

"You can't prove she did it," Coco hissed.

"You understand wanting to protect your own," Bishop said sagely.

"Like when you and El Padrino sent Roxy and Mateo down to us," Taza said smugly, "Because we could take care of them."

Tig rolled his jaw, glaring at Taza, but allowed Chibs to speak. "You want her you can have her, until we get the proof. How long do we have?"

Bishop leaned into Hank and Taza to discuss in a brief whisper then glanced back at Coco. "48 hours?" Bishop asked Coco quietly to which the younger man agreed. "Alright," Bishop said loudly. "If you're not back here in 48 hours with solid, concrete proof Coco takes Roxy back to Santo Padre and none of you go near them, their kids or Thomas Teller again."

"Tommy isn't on the table," Abel snapped. "He's my baby brother, you got no claim."

"He's grown," Roxy said.

Bishop didn't look at her but he nodded. "While he's with Coco and Roxy you back off. Any contact going forward has nothing to do with this shit."

"Fine," Abel said, out of turn.

"48 hours," Bishop said again darkly.

"Let's get to it," Chibs said, slapping his hands on the table as he stood up. "We'll let you give her a proper burial," he added smugly. "You can even kiss her goodbye."

Coco lunged forward, furious and terrified, but Angel and Gilly were able to subdue him before he could lay a hand on Chibs.

"Keep that one on a leash," Chibs smirked. On his way out, an idea already forming in his head, he glanced back at Roxy. "See ya soon, lass."

"Calm down," Roxy said, squeezing between Angel and Coco. "I got it from here."

"They're not gonna keep their end," Coco said quietly. "They're gonna come for you."

"That's not gonna happen," Bishop suddenly interrupted. "We're not gonna let that happen."

"They found her," EZ announced loudly.

"Let's go," Roxy said eagerly.

"No," Bishop, Coco, and Taza all said in unison.

Roxy looked at the trio, challenging them with her eyes, but she didn't speak against them.

"Fine." Roxy huffed, pushing by the Mayans.

"Go with here," Bishop barked at EZ. "Make sure she doesn't go rogue like she used to."

"I'm taking Angel, Creep, and Gilly," Coco told Bishop.

Bishop nodded. "Take care of it. I don't want to cross a line with these assholes."

—

The race was on while Roxy complained and cried to EZ, Coco was on a murder mission but the Sons had another idea in mind.

"Who do we go for? Abel asked quietly.

"Whoever you can grab," Tig told him.

"That one," Chibs said, "Try for the wee one."

"Valentina?" Abel asked, sounding slightly surprised. "She's just a kid.

"Exactly," Chibs smirked. "They won't pick Roxy over a kid. They'll trade."

"Prez," Abel said hesitantly. "We don't mess with kids."

"This is for Hap," he said darkly. "We'll do what we have to."


	9. Chapter 9

Roxy didn't say much to EZ as she waited for word from Coco. She chain-smoked and fidgeted, turning to alcohol only after six hours of silence.

"Where is she?"

EZ's head shot up from the book he was reading. "What?"

"The nurse," Roxy explained. "Where is she? Is she a mom? Married?"

"I don't know," EZ lied.

"Bullshit," she hissed.

"Married, uh, four kids," EZ admitted shamefully.

"Jesus," she inhaled sharply. "Ezekiel, I can't do this. I can't let this happen. Honestly, Coco doing this makes me sick. I won't be able to look at him if he does this."

EZ shook his head. "He's gotta do it for you. Trust me, Rox, he doesn't want to. He hates it more than you, I think."

"I doubt that," she said sadly.

"Coco's not a monster," EZ said defensively

"He's my husband, I know who and what he is," Roxy snapped back, "But when it comes to me he's blinded. He doesn't care who he has to hurt to protect me or our kids."

"Think that makes him more human than any of us," EZ said sagely. "He doesn't want to kill her, he doesn't want to hurt, her husband or kids, and he doesn't want to live with the guilt or the pain but he's going to."

"Yeah," she clicked her tongue, "For me. I hate it EZ. There has to be another way."

"I think it's too late to call this off," he told her.

"Even if it wasn't you wouldn't reach out," she said knowingly.

EZ shook his head. "Sorry."

"I need a cigarette," she groaned.

On her way out the door for a smoke and fresh air, Roxy heard EZ's phone go off. She froze, assuming it had something to do with the job, but it was much worse.

"Fuck," EZ hissed. "Yeah, she's with me. Okay... I got it."

"Is Coco okay?" She asked eagerly before EZ had even put the phone down. "What happened?"

"Coco is fine, he's on his way back," EZ said darkly. "It's Valentina, SAMCRO took her. They're not interested in our deal, they wanna trade her for you."

"My Teeny?" Roxy whimpered.

"We're gonna get her back," EZ said urgently.

"No, we tried this shit your way, the club way," Roxy hollered. "I'm going to get my daughter."

Roxy stormed out, knowing it was a suicide mission but not once thinking twice or hesitating.

"Hey! Rox!" EZ shouted. "Guys, she's running!"

Swiping the van keys from the mess of keychains and lighters on the table, Roxy sprinted out and burned rubber out of the parking lot.

—

It was hours before Coco even found out that Roxy had run off but when he did, he lost a bit more of his sanity. Now, they had to deal with finding Teeny and Roxy and Coco was furious. He was no good to anyone, even a detriment in some ways, as the Mayans tried to formulate a plan.

"Anything from Packer?" Hank asked angrily as the members help a faux Templo sit down.

Angel shook his head. "Nothing. Fell off the map."

"Alvarez doesn't know shit," Bishop told them, "He's tearing Northern Cali apart with the Oakland boys."

"Fuck this," Coco snapped. "I'm going to Charming."

"Coco you need to wait," Bishop bellowed.

"I need to get my wife and kid back cause if I don't, I'm gonna burn the whole fucking state to ash."

Bishop watched as Coco stormed out and never once thought to stop him. If Coco took the rage path and the rest of them went logical, Bishop was sure somehow they'd get Roxy and Teeny home safe.

"Creep, Hank, have his back," Bishop ordered. Seeing Hank about to object, Bishop shook his head. "He's gonna need you more than me, keep him safe and keep him in line."

"What if we can't get both of them?" EZ asked from the far end of the table. "It is...it's a possibility."

"It's not," Bishop snapped. "We get em' both, there is no other way this ends."

Angel and EZ looked at each other knowing that even the darkest outcomes were still possible. They weren't sure if Bishop was trying to be hopeful for Coco or himself. He loved Roxy and Valentina as if they were his own and the ordeal was clouding his mind and his heart.

"Alright, so what do we do, Jefe?"

Bishop looked at the members left at the table and shook his head. "I don't know. First, we have to find them, then, take out whoever we have to. For now, we just gotta fucking wait."

—

Miles north of the Mayans, SAMCRO was gathered in an almost reverent manner. They were finally going to have their revenge, they were going to avenge their brother, but it didn't feel exactly the way they imagined. They were sad, rather than solely rapturous and it was messing with their heads.

"Packer is gonna reach out," Tig announced from the far end of the room. "He'll set the meet and by then we'll be back home."

"And you'll be dead," Chibs said to Roxy.

"Fuck you," Roxy spat back at him.

Tig had her hanging from a joist by chains in what used to be the Bluebird warehouse. "I'm gonna puke on you," she grumbled as he spun her around and around.

"How'd you do it?" Chibs asked, grabbing her foot to stop from continuing around again.

"Where is Valentina?"

"How did you kill him?" Tig asked, punctuating his question with a blow to her stomach.

"I went to know my daughter is safe," she said between gasps for air and violent coughs, "Then I'll tell you everything."

Chibs and Tig shared a look and both nodded.

"You know he wouldn't want this," Roxy told them as Tig whispered directions to Quinn. "Happy wouldn't want you to do this to me."

"Guess he doesn't get a say since you fucking killed him," Chibs growled, his accent thicker than usual due to the emotion of the moment.

"I want to see her," Roxy screamed. "If you hurt me or her, Coco is gonna go to Ireland and burn Fiona and Kerriann alive and he's gonna fucking love it."

Quinn returned, distracting Chibs and saving Roxy from his wrath, and held a cell phone out to her. On the screen she could see Valentina, a bandana over her eyes and large headphones over her ears, sitting with Abel. She was crying and alive but Roxy wasn't going to lose a chance to lay on the guilt.

"Please, please Abel, don't hurt her. She's your blood, she's a Teller! Don't do this!"

Abel hung his head but Quinn quickly ended the video call before he could reply.

"See? She's alive. Now tell us," Tig growled.

Roxy looked at Tig and Chibs, men she once loved dearly and trusted with her life, and spit blood-stained saliva at them.

"I drugged him. Pumped him full of shit to make sure once the doctors had what they needed for _my_ son that Happy would already be on his way to hemorrhaging. There was so much blood," she added for dramatic effect. "You really gotta be careful with those supplements and herbs," Roxy said mockingly.

The disgust on their faces was clear. It was the trust she'd betrayed that shook them so deeply. Happy ate and drank whatever Roxy gave him and trusted she'd care for him before and after such an ordeal and she used that to murder him.

"Cut her," Chibs snapped. "Let her bleed out like Hap did."

"What about Valentina?" She stammered.

"She'll be fine," Chibs glared at her. "Unlike your filthy Mexican husband we don't _hurt_ _children_."

Roxy panicked and began to plead as Tig moved closer. "Tig. Tiggy. Please." She was nowhere near as brave as she expected and hoped she'd be but she didn't regret her choice to beg.

"Fuck you," he hissed as he sliced deeply into her arm from elbow to wrist.

"Please," she sobbed. "Happy wouldn't want this. He wouldn't want Mateo to lose both of us."

"You made this happen," he growled as he cut into her other arm before moving to her legs. Finally, he stabbed her in the stomach and shook his head. "He deserved more and you don't even deserve this."


	10. Chapter 10

When Abel arrived at Bluebird with Valentina he was horrified by the scene he walked into. Chibs and the others were already gone and he was supposed to leave the girl there and secretly watch to be sure the Mayans got her. He wasn't expecting to see Roxy, drenched in blood, dangling from the ceiling.

"Fuck," Abel gasped, instantly covering Teeny's eyes.

"What?" Teeny tried to see what was so shocking but Abel refused. "What is it?"

"No, you don't wanna see this shit. Promise me you won't look, promise me, Valentina."

Hearing his voice shake terrified the young girl. She ran to the back of the building and hid behind a stack of crates leftover from the gun assembly.

Not thinking as a Son, but instead, as a still-grieving son, Abel called an ambulance. He struggled to get her down, trying not to make any noise that would attract Valentina's attention, and checked for a pulse.

"Come on, Rox, come on," Abel whispered.

The sounds of sirens and Harleys both hit his ear at the same time. Abel knew he had to go or he'd surely be shot. Tearing himself away from his aunt's body, Abel climbed out the back window and jumped into the stolen sedan he'd arrived in and sped down the back road.

"Teens?" Coco shouted, the squeal of the ambulance not cutting through the panic in his head. "Valentina?"

"Daddy!" Valentina bolted from her hiding spot but frozen at the sight of her mother. "Mom, MOM!" She shrieked in a panic that lit a fire under Coco.

"What happened?" Coco asked as he ran through the rickety wooden door, his brothers behind him with guns drawn. "R-Rox?" He asked, truly unable to recognize her at first due to the blood staining her skin, clothing, and hair.

"Daddy help her! Save mommy!" Valentina screamed as Bishop swept her up and pulled her out of the building right passed the paramedics.

"Rox," Coco wailed, afraid to even touch her. "Mi luz, mi vida," he cried, tears running down his face onto her skin mixing with her blood.

"Coco," Angel yanked him away as paramedics set to work, "Teeny needs you, carnal. Come on, man. I'll watch her, I'll watch over her."

Although he was little help to his daughter beyond strong hugs, Coco did leave the warehouse. Angel watched with concern and confusion as Coco stumbled out, shock already taking over. He knelt down and held Teeny in his arms, his eyes glassy and blank, until the paramedics rushed out with Roxy.

"She's alive?" He asked desperately. "She's still alive?"

"They're transporting her to the local hospital," Angel told him. "They don't know how long she'll hold on for but she's breathing for now."

"Come on," EZ said, gingerly helping Coco to his feet. "I'll take you to the hospital."

"Valentina," Coco said distractedly. "I want you to stay with the club."

"I want to see Mommy," she cried.

"Corazoncita," he whimpered, "Not now."

"Daddy!"

"Valentina!" He snapped. "Go."

Valentina stepped back, sobbing, and ran from Coco into Hank's arms. EZ watched, heartbroken but also angry by Coco's reaction to his daughter.

"Come on, Coco," EZ said with a heavy sigh as he and Angel pulled him to his feet. "We gotta go."

Coco shook his head. "I can't."

"You gotta," Angel growled. "Can't run from this, brother. Can't abandon her now."

"If Roxy dies you gonna let her lay there alone cause you're too scared?" Bishop growled, his face inches from Coco's. "Go. Now."

Coco grit his teeth and shoved Bishop out of the way before charging toward his bike. His head was so loud, filled with such negative and terrifying thoughts, he could barely think or even walk straight.

"You two, take care of him, watch him so he doesn't drive off a goddamn cliff," Bishop ordered Angel and EZ. "I want him pissed off and ready to get these guys, not hopeless."

—

It took longer than it should have to get Coco to Saint Thomas with the Reyes brothers navigating. It didn't matter though, Coco wouldn't get out of the truck once they arrived. Part of him thought Roxy was already dead and he didn't want that news but another part worried his presence would somehow curse her. The largest part of Coco blamed himself and no one could tell him otherwise.

"What do we do?" EZ asked Angel after nearly an hour of Coco staring straight ahead and chain-smoking.

"Fuck, I don't know," Angel grumbled. "Shit," he hissed, gesturing to the parking lot entrance.

"Mateo and Thomas," EZ sighed.

"And fucking Leticia," Angel added.

EZ went over to greet them while Angel tried to shake Coco around.

"Kids are here," Angel told him. "Letty, Teo, and Thomas. You gotta at least be a dad, Coco."

Finally, Coco made eye contact with Angel, wiping the tears from the corner of his eyes, and nodded. He jumped out of the truck and met his kids with a hug that forced a few tears down his face.

"How is she?" Mateo asked desperately.

"I don't know," Coco admitted.

Angry, Mateo stormed toward the hospital to take charge of his mother's care, if she was even still alive.

"Coco," Letty said softly. "She needs you. Mateo and Teeny need you."

"Do you?" He asked sadly.

"You need me," she said with a sad smile as she took his hand. "Come on, let's go."

Thomas was waiting for them by the entrance. "She's alive, barely. ICU on the fifth floor. Someone from the nurses' station will take you to her.

"You're not coming?" She asked.

"No, I got some shit to do," he said dismissively.

"What?" Coco sneered. "You gonna walk out on her? After all, she did for you?"

"No, I'm not," he snapped defensively. "I'm gonna find my brother and see what the fuck happened."

"I know what happened," Coco growled, jamming his finger into Thomas' chest. "Your brother set her up and took my daughter, fucking SAMCRO tried to kill her, but they forgot who she is."

"A Teller," Thomas said proudly.

"No, she's a fucking Cruz. A Mayan," Coco snarled. "No old ass white man is gonna take her down."

"Coco," Letty whispered, "Come on."

"You tell Abel to watch his back," Coco warned. "I'm coming for him with it without my club."


	11. Chapter 11

***2 Years Later***

Thomas adjusted his kutte as he stood up from the table, reaching out to shake Taza's hand as Abel shook Bishop's.

"I'm looking forward to this," Bishop said with a nod.

"I'm looking forward to the fucking money," Coco cracked with a smirk.

"Anything you need," Bishop said slowly, "Just reach out, boys."

"I think they'll do just fine," Hank told them all sagely. "I think their father would be proud."

"I know he would," Bishop said confidently. "SAMCRO and The Mayans were solid. I meant that shit, even with this deal finally done, you walking away from guns, if you need anything we're here."

"I appreciate that," Abel said sadly. Turning to Coco, Abel offered him his hand. "I'm sorry for everything. I was blinded by hate and fucking greed, man."

"Took a lot of blood to wash that shit away," Coco sighed. "At least it's gone now."

"We're crystal fucking clear now," Thomas interjected. "You guys coming next week?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Coco said as the others filtered out of the room. "Finally fucking graduating, even with the fucking patch on your back and that VP flash. I didn't think you were gonna do it."

"Graduate or patch?" Abel asked with a laugh. "He's too stupid to graduate and just stupid enough to fucking patch."

"How's Mateo?" Thomas ignored his brothers' jab.

"Good," Coco nodded. "Coming down this weekend after the end of his semester."

"Maybe we'll come down again," Abel suggested. "Rat can hold shit down in Charming."

"Tell my daughter to come down with you," Coco said, suddenly much more serious. "I haven't seen Letty in fucking months since you moved in with you."

Abel's face scrunched up. "She moved out but I didn't tell you, man. We're not sure what we're doing, she wanted to wait to tell you till we decided."

"You hurt her?" Coco asked threateningly. "I killed enough of you assholes, one more ain't shit."

"Yeah, man," Thomas laughed. "You hurt her? The ring not big enough?"

"Man, shut the fuck up," Abel said dejectedly.

Coco looked at the boys laughing, now the President and VP of SAMCRO, and shook his head. "Shit. Rox wouldn't believe it."

"She would, she knows Letty. She'd be proud as fuck," Abel grumbled. "I proposed and she gave me the dirtiest look."

"She was born with that look," Coco shook his head. "She loves you, she'll come around."

Abel drew his head back, shocked by Coco's fatherly tone and advice, and smiled. "Thanks."

"Now get the fuck outta here," Coco jokes, shoving the Teller boys a few inches. "Don't forget to pay your respects before you head north again."

They all shook hands again before leaving the rented room and heading their separate ways back to the same place. Coco was going home but Abel and Thomas were going for one last special visit to their aunt.

—

***Current Time***

It didn't take long for Coco to receive the most important news of his life. The morning after finding Roxy, the doctor pulled him, Mateo and Letty, aside for an update. Roxy was stable, mostly out of the woods, and although it would be a slow recovery, she would be okay. The doctor left them in the small waiting room and almost instantly Coco had tears streaming down his face.

"I gotta talk to Teeny," Coco spoke with such regret.

"You might want to give her some time," Letty said nervously. "I'll let her know."

"Then I gotta talk to Bishop," he said darkly.

"I want in on it," Mateo suddenly said. "Whatever you do. I wanna be there."

Coco looked at his son, brows furrowed with anger, and shook his head. "Fuck no."

"She's my mom!"

"You're not that kind of person, Teo, and your mom sure as fuck doesn't want you to turn into one."

"Hey," Letty interrupted, "Jesus Christ, not here."

"No," Coco snapped. "Let me handle this," he huffed, "This is what I do," he added, thumping his fist against his chest. "It's all I can fucking do."

"Coco," Bishop said grimly from the entryway, "Got a minute?"

With a growl, Coco turned and nodded at Bishop. "Yeah. None of you leave," he said over his shoulder to the kids.

Letty shook her head as he stomped away, truly terrified of what mayhem he'd kick-off. She turned to Mateo and squeezed his hand. "Take a breath. They won't get away with this but Coco can't think straight, so we have to try to help steer him."

Mateo rolled his jaw. "She's my mom, if anyone should be spinning out it's me and Valentina."

"This is not the suffering Olympics," Letty groaned. "You're way better adjusted emotionally than he is though, so suffering aside, he's going to lash out."

Mateo got to his feet and hurried toward the door. "Yeah, and more people are gonna get fucking' hurt."

—

While his oldest two were discussing his mental state, Coco was preparing to plead his case to Bishop. He felt confident in his argument but he wouldn't get the chance to explain it at that moment.

"Coco," Angel hollered from down the hall, "She's up."

Sprinting to her room, Coco found Roxy with her eyes open although he wouldn't have described her as _awake_. She was drowsy, confused and dozing in and out but to Coco, it was still a goddamn miracle.

"Roxy," he whispered, leaning in, "Roxy, mi amor. I knew you wouldn't let em' take you. I'm sorry, I'm so fucking sorry I wasn't there."

"Johnny," she said, her voice weak and low. "I love you."

"I love you," he sniffled. "Rox, I was so scared, you fucking scared me," Coco admitted. "What can I do? What do you want me to do?"

"Kill em' all," she told him with an unsettling levity in her voice.

"Rox," he whispered. "You want me to kill Tig and Chibs?" It was what he wanted but to hear her asking him to do it was the last thing he expected.

"I love you," she said, a tiny smile playing on her lips as her eyelids fluttered.

"She'll be in and out," a nurse suddenly appeared in the room. "She's doing great though."

"What?" Coco's head snapped around.

"She'll be drowsy and in and out for a while," the nurse explained. "She lost almost half her blood volume, we've given her plenty but she's still healing and her white cell counts are leveling out."

"Oh, uh, yeah," he stammered. "Thanks."

The woman nodded. "I'm just checking her vitals, I'll be out of your way soon."

"No, I'm gone," he said suddenly moving for the door. "Yo," Coco said to Angel, the two sharing a deeper trust than most. "Don't leave her, bro, please."

"I'm here, man, I'm not going anywhere."


	12. Chapter 12

After leaving the hospital, Coco met with Bishop in Templo. They each had a beer in front of them and a cigarette between their lips as they sat in silence for a moment or two. It had been such a harrowing day, not only for Coco and his children but the club as a whole. Both men needed to let their minds slow and readjust to their new situation.

"You want to kill Tig and Chibs?" Bishop broke the silence, unable to believe he was actually saying it.

"I'm gonna," he said forcefully. "I just need to know if I'm going in with a patch on my back or not."

Bishop hesitated then spoke, We came to a conclusion," he started. "Evidence would get them what they wanted instead, instead," he shook his head. "SAMCRO took your daughter, they forced Rox to give herself up then cut her and left her to bleed to death right in front of Valentina. I want to nuke any fucking white trash wearing a reaper."

"But," Coco hissed, knowing where Bishop was headed.

"But, she gave herself to them," Bishop held up his hand to silence Coco. "They forced her, I know, but we need to look at this carefully, we need to be smarter than them. We can't go in and take out the mother charger of a club twice our size."

"How we gonna grow if we let everyone walk all over us?" Coco hollered, jumping up from his seat in a furious hurry. "We're supposed to protect our women and our kids," he shouted. "What kind of men are we if we don't?"

"Smarter men," Coco heard Abel say as the door slid open, "We're trying to be smarter men."

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Coco spat.

"Abel wants help," Bishop told him. "He came to me, he was there, he saw what they did to Rox."

"I called the ambulance," he told Coco. "I didn't see Rox there, covered in blood, I saw my mom," he tried to stifle his urge to cry.

"Abel," Coco started but he wasn't allowed to finish.

"How am I supposed to let that shit happen again?" He asked angrily. "Let Valentina lose her mom, Mateo too," he shook his head. "I don't care that they're older than I was, it's gonna fuck them up, and she didn't deserve that shit. My mom didn't, she made mistakes but she didn't deserve a fucking serving fork in her head and Rox didn't deserve to bleed to death in a filthy, abandoned shack."

"We can trust him?" Coco asked, turning to Bishop. "He's turning on his patch."

"I'm not," Abel said quickly. "The only Sons involved in this shit were Tig, Chibs, everyone else went along but they didn't wanna hurt Rox."

"But they did," Coco said, clearly unsure if he could trust the man who started it all.

"My dad killed himself rather than deal with the shit storm he created," Abel said somberly. "I didn't do what he wanted. I patched. I can fix it though. Do what he couldn't."

Coco shook his head. "I don't trust you."

"You trust Tommy?" Abel asked motioning for Thomas to join them in Templo.

"No," Coco shook his head. "Are you fucking stupid?"

"Probably," Thomas huffed. "I'm prospecting, didn't have time to get a kutte yet," he shrugged a little.

"Rox is gonna knock you out," Coco said with annoyance.

"He won't patch unless he gets his degree," Abel said staunchly. "Once he does and Tig and Chibs are neutralized, we want to hand it all over to you. Guns, our connections, and our deals, it's all the Mayans. Sons can deal pussy and porn and fix cars."

Coco looked at Bishop in shock. "Is this for real?"

"It is," Bish nodded. "Me and Hank sat with Abel, talked it all over but it's your call, Coco," Bishop said somberly.

***Less than 96 Hours Later***

"Mateo!"

Coco hollered desperately as Tig came behind the young man, gun ready to fire, in hopes of saving his son. Mateo dropped, a few seconds later, and instantly Coco fired two shots. He hit Tig in the chest, effectively securing Mateo's safety, although he had been aiming for the head. "You okay, mijo?"

Mateo, stunned and shaken, nodded then turned, still on the ground, to see who had been so close. He was suddenly face to face with a pale and bloodied Tig who had two slugs in his chest.

"Your mom said he's the one who cut her," Coco said ominously as he walked toward them.

"SAMCRO will come for you," Tig sputtered out. "Abel's gonna cut your heart out."

Coco smirked a little and shook his head. "You wanna do it, Teo? For your mom?"

Mateo didn't, not completely, but the small bit of his biological father that lingered did. He stood up, wanting more distance between himself and Tig, and using his mother's beretta, shot Tig point-blank in the head.

"You know who gave your mom that gun?" Coco asked, putting his arm around Mateo and leading him out of the building.

"Who?" Mateo looked at Coco, suddenly seeming so childlike.

"Happy," Coco scoffed. "Come on, let's light this shit up and get the fuck outta here. We got one more stop."

—


End file.
